Life After Venus!: Life After Mars Series, #2

By Andrea J. Graham

At fourteen, fraternal twins Gloria and Federica have won recognition as commander's brats, and their mother governs alongside their dad. Their parents now thrust the farm girls into the brats' elite world. Back in school after studying at home since twelve, the twins are anxious about a coming-of-age party still a year away. On that night, a fifteen-year-old young woman normally gives her date her virginity, and the twins want to wait for marriage. The eldest twin, Federica, tests her boyfriend by withholding kissing until the party. Holter complies way too easily, and she questions why. Further, she is growing more and more worried it's her turn to have a mystery illness, and she fears hers will kick her hard in her womanhood.

Gloria sneaks around a ban on dating her AI. He dumps her, accusing her of falling for Holter. So what if they're tempted to neck behind her sister's back? They'd never betray Federica. Besides, Gloria and Holter are determined to keep their promise to be "bros forever."

• Language: English
• Publisher: Reignburst Books
• Release date: Feb 14, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393152248

Andrea J. Graham

Andrea Graham studied creative writing and religion at Ashland University, has been envisioning fantastic worlds since age six, and has been writing science fiction novels since she was fourteen. Bear Publications released her book, Avatars of Web Surfer, which she wrote with three co-authors. She is the wife of author Adam Graham and edits his novels, including Tales of the Dim Knight and Slime Incorporated. Her own publishing imprint, Reignburst Books, released the Web Surfer Series and the Life After Mars Series. Find her as an author at christsglory.com and as an editor at povbootcamp.com. Andrea and Adam live with their dog, Rocky, and their cat, Bullwinkle, in Boise, Idaho. They're adopting their first child.

Book preview

Chapter 1

SO, HOW ABOUT GOING back to school? Gloria Patri Fowler Cruz mocked her father to her fraternal twin. How about respecting our wishes to stay home schooled? What kind of mean parents thrust their kids into a new classroom for their final year of childhood?

Act like a kid only a year away from becoming an adult. Rica flicked Gloria’s ear.

Gloria yanked away. Don’t do that. You’re not my mother.

Sorry.

The fourteen-year-old pioneer girls trudged up Apricot Pond Outpost’s main corridor. It was gray and white. Here, going into town meant going into the compound. It caged them worse than the homestead. Only double geo-domes spared the homestead from Mars’ hostility to life. The larger outer dome surrounded the inner dome.

Both sisters wore homespun linen garb. Gloria’s shirt was crinkled and her pants had dirt-stained knees. Rica’s mid-calf dress was neatly pressed like their parents’ commander uniforms. Gloria had finally caught up to Rica and developed womanly curves, too. But she’d need the bye-bye childhood pill to get her period on time, this school year namely.

Martian girls started menstruating way late, compared to girls on Earth. Some faulted remnants of the toxins their ancestors had removed from Mars’ red soil. Some blamed Mars’ gravity being sixty-two percent lower than Earth’s gravity. And some credited lifestyle differences between Martians and Earthers.

Rica smoothed back Gloria’s dark hair. It’d grown almost to her shoulders, except for a tiny bald patch in back. Rica was nit-picking Gloria’s job of hiding her ugly souvenir from her fight with cancer.

Gloria’s face blazed and she smacked her sister’s hand. Don’t do that.

Don’t be impossible. Rica batted her lashes. Daddy deserves your respect. It’s our fault he and Mama won’t let us stay home schooled. We shouldn’t have used it to hide from everyone but our immediate family, the doctors, and Holter.

And he’s my bro. Gloria smirked. In a year, we’ll even be legally siblings.

No, you won’t! Rica blushed visibly. Their olive skin tone fell between their copper-skinned Mama and their ivory-skinned Dad. Rica said, I’ve stopped pretending my boyfriend is only a boy friend because I’m not following in Mama’s footsteps. I won’t marry your best friend at our quinceañera.

Their fifteenth birthday party, a Latino coming of age custom. All civilians observed it in Apricot Pond, with their blessing. Gloria nudged her augmented reality glasses up her nose. If you won’t be marrying at our quinceañera, then I can’t—won’t, either. How do we make our parents understand? It’s not a coincidence that we got sent back to school the day after I said I have no plans to look for a quinceañera date.

Please be reasonable. Dad wouldn’t mind taking you as a non-romantic escort. And our parents might have let your AI take you, if you didn’t want to date him. Rica’s tone implied that was absurd. Around here, what it is normal to give our dates on that night isn’t moral. Rica shot her hand out. And Holter respects my choice. He agreed to my idea of giving him my first kiss on our quinceañera night. She wet her lips. Her nose twitched. We’ve also proven to our parents that we’re trustworthy.

So was Jake. Though, if he would let her, she’d break her uptight parents’ rule against augmented reality kissing. Glowering, Gloria thrust her left hand on her hip. What is with you today? Last night, you were mad at our parents, too.

Over school? I would’ve liked far more notice, but I’ll be back in a regular classroom next year anyway. When I join Holter at Officer’s Training School. Rica twirled her waist-length, black, silky locks. Why don’t you enlist? Attending the military college will give you a valid reason to delay shopping for a husband.

Gloria laughed. Based on merits, you deserve accepted to the aristocracy’s elite club. In a fair system, a military college would never accept an undisciplined little thing like me.

Rica bit her lip. You are a free-spirited ‘little thing,’ but you’re great with tech. And we badly need tech officers. Rica’s lashes fluttered. You-know-who studied to be a tech officer. She was a crown princess, so it must be appropriate for us.

Uh-huh. Only you have to be a commander someday. If Apricot Pond manages to keep our independence from Xanthe Outpost. Gloria giggled outside of the high school classroom. It was in the same corridor as the middle grades and early grades classes.

If I have to, you have to, her sister grumbled. We’re fraternal twins!

So? I’ve checked. Among Dad’s people, the firstborn inherits the father’s military title. The secondborn inherits the mother’s title. Unless my in-laws adopt me and our parents adopt your hubby. Then he and I inherit titles from our mothers-in-law. No thanks here, but I’ll let Holter rule with you. Are cadets allowed to marry? If he were my boyfriend, no way would we make it out of OTS still virgins.

¿Que? Rica squealed What in Spanish. She reared back, shaking her head. How can you so flippantly admit—you’re attracted to Holter? And you claim you still love him like a sibling?

Gloria’s face blazed. Don’t leap over the moons. I didn’t mean it how it came out. She attempted to shrug casually. I’d have to be blind to not have noticed he isn’t ugly. She stared at the floor. How she’d noticed him was gross. Holter is still my bro.

Right. Look me in the eye and claim you don’t have a crush on my boyfriend.

She glared into her sister’s gaze. "Hormones estúpidos change nada. The Spanish words meant stupid and nothing. She fingered the scar near her left ring finger’s knuckle. I cut Holter here, too."

An irrelevant, mean thing to do to him. And a stupid thing to do to yourself.

Duh, I’m left-handed. My wound was an accident. Gloria snorted. Holter and I put it to good use. We traded blood. We solemnly promised each other before God to be brothers forever. Mama even respects that now. Still says I can’t be anyone’s brother, though. She renamed blood brothers ‘covenant siblings.’

Sorry, sister, but I see the crush you’re trying to hide behind childish nonsense.

Gloria growled. Think what you want about me, but know this. He wants to marry you. If it is mutual, don’t wait forever. He’s not after your throne. And I can hardly wait to see the hilarious look on his face when he realizes he gets it along with you..;

A classroom door closer to the mess hall opened. Cadet Holter Sloan slipped into the hall and marched toward them. His bud-sized phone plugged his right ear. His handsome white cadet uniform had been 3D printed using local flax. Between his uniform and his light brown military cut, he looked like any other cadet.

He deserved to have a shot at the commander’s office. He’d make a great one.

Holter reached them and saluted Gloria, a playful twinkle in his hazel eyes. I’ve been sent to inform you that you are late and are to report to high school at once.

She giggled along with her sister. You had to tell us in person why?

He glanced at his girlfriend. Couldn’t wait for lunch, so I didn’t ask Juana why she needed me to go tell your sister she’s late. I hoped you were with her.

Rica shrugged. She knew that you wanted to see me. Juana is the AI who manages our phones. Rica touched the device in her left ear. We have no mental privacy with an AI that interfaces with our brains.

Oh, yeah, true. Holter shifted his feet. As for what I wanted, despite my high school diploma, in some ways, this will be like the last time you were in school. One thing is, this year, at lunch, people will frown way more seriously if any of us slip past the dividers.

Ugh. Gloria rolled her eyes. Don’t risk it. I can’t bring a date anyway.

Holter dipped his head. Want me to find you one that I won’t give a black eye?

Aw, he still loved her. Gloria’s crown glowed. She wrinkled her nose. No, thanks, I’m not looking. If I were, I’d definitely ask you. Um, for advice on who to trust I mean.

There you are! A familiar adult male voice down the hall snapped. I’ve been looking all over for you girls. Go to school.

Holter dried his lips and kissed Rica’s cheek. He glanced awkwardly at Gloria, shoved his hands in his pockets, and returned to his classroom.

The education officer hunting them sounded like her uncle. Gloria spun and cringed at her aunt Kim’s husband. Her aunt was Dad’s cousin by blood, but his parents had raised her. Hi, Uncle Kazuma. You’ve changed social classes, too?

No, I’ve re-trained for a new civilian job, the teacher’s assistant. I help civilians prepare for apprenticeships after high school. And do the muscle work for the new high school teacher. Like bringing in truant students. He ushered them into their new classroom.

It had electronic whiteboards and video screens on white walls. Student desks were arranged in groups of two. The seats molded to the bodies in them. The racially diverse civilians were all in homespun linen. They sat opposite from the too-white military brats in 3D printed linen. The brats’ clothes were trying to look like they were made of unavailable, imported fibers. On both sides, the older students sat toward the back.

Computers were built into the desks. A vertical glass pane rose from the desks to a height comfortable for any student.

Rica headed to an empty seat front and center. She glanced at the seventh graders on either side of it, sighed, and shuffled back to join the ninth graders.

Huh? Oh yeah, she had been here part-time. Before Apricot Pond had compacted ten years of primary schooling into nine years. That had reduced vacations to two weeks off every three and a half months. All seventh graders had been moved to high school full-time. From Earth media, that made their class a junior high that did high-school work. Their local military college’s freshmen likewise were all fifteen-year-olds.

At the front stood a door-sized cylindrical device on robot wheels. It contained a 3D image of a teacher in his forties, older than most of his students’ fathers. He’d paired a royal blue sweater vest with an officer’s suit lacking a jacket. Something seemed so familiar about this tall, dark-haired, pudgy stranger. He had a square jaw and a rather piercing gaze.

Gloria strode closer and stared hard into those intense blue eyes right back. Where had she seen them before? Are you an AI?

He cleared his throat. Miss Fowler, we haven’t been introduced. I’m your teacher, Ensign Jacobson. Thank you for kindly joining us. It is not fashionable to be late to high school, princess. Next time, please be fifteen minutes early.

The class of about twenty-five kids all laughed.

Please be seated beside your sister. There, I’ll help you orient to continuing your studies with us. Her teacher used her augmented reality glasses to jut his hand from his cylindrical cage. He pretended to pat her shoulder. If you have any private concerns about me that you’d like to ask Jake, save it for after class.

Her glasses had a brain-computer interface. Only one AI could use it to send such a long whisper message so fast. Jake. He had the maturity of a seventeen-year-old.

She chomped on her grin. Jake, did Juana cover for you? I made the teacher late to class?

Jake imitated a teen boy’s groan in her ears. Why can’t I be a better liar?

Detention, before school? Rolling her eyes, she settled in at the desk beside her sister. It’d be hard to wait to ask her million questions. Like always, he’d known the thoughts buzzing in her head before she did.

Chapter 2

AT LUNCH TIME, RICA Fowler Cruz mentally hit the icons to save and close her work. The icons popped out of her screen as her AI pressed them. With her, Juana functioned like an adopted body part. One as obedient to her will as her natural arms.

A thirteen-year-old Latino with a bowl haircut shot his leg out into the aisle in front of her. She glided over the trip hazard and set her feet down with ease. Ricardo Moran always had been a little twerp.

The other immature civilians all laughed as usual. But this time the brats all stared in silent horror, as if the commanders had been disrespected.

Oh my. She met Ricardo’s hard stare and said in Spanish, Son, be careful. I don’t want you to get hurt.

The gist of his foul reply was that she was a race traitor. Several other minority kids shouted over him and each other, crudely urging him to shut up. Their voices held mortal fear.

Huh? How? She should mind that her dad was white and had kept his family and his career? She should mind herself becoming a princess and her mama becoming a commander, too? That was loco, crazy.

Gloria had gotten in Ricardo’s face. You’re real smart. Bullying a girl whose boyfriend has a gun and whose twin has these. Her fists clenched. Apologize or you get hurt now.

What the snot muttered in Spanish could see an apology, if it went on a Mars walk and used a telescope. He ran after his scattering buddies.

Hey, called one of their classmates, a fellow princess. Annis’s parents were only ensigns. Annis headed toward them. Two antique rhinestone hairclips held back her bobbed light brown hair. Her shirt was scarlet like the sky and her boot-cut pants were trying to look like denim jeans. Brat girls giggled as they headed out.

Habit tensed Rica’s muscles. She forced a smile. Annis, right? Can I help you?

Can I help you? Annis laughed, shaking her head. I understand why you were raised as civilians. Due to the ugly business with your dad’s controlling parents. But why has the commander left his daughters clueless? We’re brats, future sisters-in-arms! That makes us family. Annis jerked her thumb at the civilians and lowered her voice. Ignore their cruel talk. They’re jealous of you, always were.

Gloria asked, Since when are we friends?

Annis extended her hands. Two years ago, I’d have been trying to distract you while my friends knifed you in the back. Now I come in peace. The worst offenders’ families moved to New Plymouth, Xanthe back in seventh grade. Snobby lieutenants’ brats need further proof our commanders’ daughters are one of us. But us ensigns’ brats know we’ll never outrank you. It doesn’t make sense to antagonize our future bosses.

At least she was honest. Rica smiled. I hope you’re sincere in such wisdom.

Annis grinned. Only promote me above ensign if I deserve it.

Rica and Gloria both laughed. I like you.

Thanks. Annis nudged Rica with her elbow. From what I have heard, a tall, green-eyed cadet must be waiting to take his girlfriend to lunch, but you’re both welcome with me.

My sister and I have to take you up on that. Rica sighed. We’d love to eat with Holter like old times. But this year Holter can’t risk continuing the fence-jumping stunts that he and my sister have always pulled.

They no longer need to limbo with a shock fence. Annis rolled her eyes. Stop thinking like civilians. As brats, we’re always allowed in the officers’ mess hall with an escort who has earned the honor. At our age, they lighten up on the requirement that our escort be a relative—and the cadets eat in the officers’ mess. If you’re with Holter, you can use the door like normal people.

Thank you! Rica kissed Annis’s cheek and scurried out into the main corridor.

STOMACH CHURNING, GLORIA watched Rica run out to meet Holter. Let them have their lunch dates.

She glanced at the cross-eyed look on Annis’ face and giggled. Rica said goodbye the way our people say hello to good friends. Mama’s people that is.

Annis giggled. Lieutenant Commander Marisol Cruz isn’t a civilian anymore, either.

She growled. "Whether we’re brats or civilians, we’re a Latino familia. Even our white dad was Latino by in-law adoption; that got nullified, but he is still a Cruz in his heart. Something’s very wrong on Mars if both social classes think our being brats means we have to give up our ethnicity."

Oh, sorry. I get you. Annis tugged on her arm. Let’s move it; lunch is only forty-five mikes. Minutes I mean. I’d hoped to have time to get you and your sister at least one set of real clothes. Consider it my little contribution to the cold war effort.

Thanks, call me after dinner tonight and we’ll see. Gloria smiled at Annis. Go, I’ll catch up. I need a word with our teacher about a private matter. He said to do it on my own time.

Jacobson was surely joking about putting you in detention before school, but okay. Hurry. Annis left.

Gloria removed Jake’s augmented reality glasses from her face. She wiped the lenses on her homespun linen shirt. A love for her comfy, familiar clothes swelled against a desire to fit in.

She thrust her glasses on. She had a bigger problem. What was wrong with Jake? Pretending they were only friends was bad enough. Why was he now pretending he was only her teacher? He should’ve discussed this with her in advance.

She marched to the teacher’s clunky, wheeled, hologram machine. It remained darkened. She folded her arms and hissed, Since when are you an ensign and older than dirt?

He appeared in augmented reality as the aging teacher. I finished OTS two weeks ago and had enrolled properly after your cancer went into remission. As an AI, I learn faster than most humans, so I am an ensign now, for real. No one wastes time on ceremony with an AI.

Her body tightened. Someone could’ve told me.

I asked your parents not to tell anyone. I’d hoped to put this talk off for a while. Fact is, we don’t dare take my old, childish avatar out in public, for good reason. Me dressing up as Prince Derrick is no longer age-appropriate for either of us. Plus, it’s a lie. I’m not a fairy tale prince waiting for my princess to come.

How could he say that? He knew she dreamed of living a fairy tale where God magically turned her beloved AI into a human boy. And where she visited Earth, found her prince there, and stayed in his world. She took a breath. Between cancer, Mars’ cold war, and puberty, we no longer see with a child’s eyes. But we’ve also known miracles. I’d have died without your kiss of life. You are my prince, not this.

You’re insulting me. He calmly waved at himself. This is my true self-image, age-progressed to get my students’ respect. I panicked when you recognized me from only my eyes. Suppose now I might as well show you how insane I am.

He morphed into a chubby seventeen-year-old. He wasn’t as hot as her body weirdly deemed her bro, her sister’s guy at that. Still, her own guy was cute. And AR showed off his impressive height better. Beside him, her dad and Holter would look short,